Shop Smart! Tips for Avoiding the Grocery Shopping Rush

Grocery shopping is almost always about necessity. We need eggs for breakfast, or your kids need bread for tomorrow’s lunch. It’s usually
something we try to squeeze into our busy schedules. But when your “quick” trip
to the store after work turns into a 90-minute expedition for cereal, it’s time
to switch up your grocery shopping routine.

First tip: shop on Wednesdays. Saturdays have an average of 41
million grocery shoppers, as opposed to Friday’s 35 million, and Wednesday’s 30
million. Not only do Wednesdays tout the smallest grocery-shopping crowd of the
week, but they also promise the week’s best discounts. Another reason hump day
is the best day: most grocery couponing programs begin on Wednesday, which
means that in addition to the newest coupons, the discounts that might
technically expire on Tuesday are often still accepted. Double the discount, almost
30 percent fewer people, and the promise of freshly delivered products on
Wednesday mornings make Wednesday our favorite shopping day.

Second tip: timing is everything. Earlier in the day,
especially on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, everything perishable is fresh.
If you can’t make it there in the morning, try shopping from 1-4 PM; you’re
getting some of the freshest products of the week, and you’re shopping smarter.
Studies show that shoppers at midday tend to buy less caloric foods than
shoppers around dinnertime—probably because hungry shopping at 6 PM yields more
fattening splurges than healthy snacks. If neither of these work for you, at
least guarantee yourself an easy, mob-free shopping experience. Try after 8 or
9 PM; stores will be empty, employees will be friendly, and you end your day
with a satisfying accomplishment.

Third and final tip: Avoid Tuesdays. The worst night of the
week to shop is Tuesday. Not only is it the last day of most couponing and
discount programs, but it’s also the most popular night of the week for
homemade meals nationwide. Cue images of hungry shoppers fighting over the best
cut of meat at the deli counter and scrambling for the last of the on-sale
granola bars. Stick to Wednesdays.

Of course, grocery shopping and the shopping rush can be avoided
entirely with online grocery shopping services. But if you absolutely cannot
abandon your neighborhood grocery store, we recommend shopping smarter to make
it more cost- and time-effective.